Be Creative - Robots, Legos, and Science Games

Author Michael Margolis, author of Make an Arduino-Controlled Robot from O’Reilly , joins Lyle and Wyatt to chat about Autonomous and Remote-Controlled Bots on Wheels, Legos, and wonderful computer games that help teach your children science.

The Arduino Esplora is a microcontroller board derived from the Arduino Leonardo. The Esplora differs from all preceding boards in that it provides a number of built-in, ready-to-use setof onboard sensors for interaction.

It’s always hard to find ways to get your kids interested in science. For decades, dinosaurs have been the go-to resource for parents looking to inspire their kids to pursue knowledge, but with the rising sophistication of videogames parents now have new options for igniting the fact-based part of their child’s imaginations.

Kids have always loved building things and solving problems, but before videogames, the best tools we could offer them were Lincoln Logs and Legos. Today, we can give them a whole lot more. Here are eight games you can use to help prepare your child’s brain for a life of building and engineering.

Unleash your imagination as you journey through the wide-ranging world of LEGO building with The LEGO Adventure Book. This inspiring tour is filled with bright visuals, step-by-step breakdowns of 25 models, and nearly 200 example models from the world’s best builders. Learn to build robots, trains, medieval villages, spaceships, airplanes, and much more. Whether you’re brand-new to LEGO or have been building for years, this book is sure to spark your imagination and motivate you to keep creating!

To help LEGO fans of all ages make the leap from following canned instructions to freestyle building, author Allan Bedford explains the essentials of design and construction in this four-color edition of The Unofficial LEGO Builder’s Guide – No Starch Press

The Unofficial LEGO Technic Builder’s Guide is filled with building tips for creating strong yet elegant machines and mechanisms with the Technic system. Author Paweł “Sariel” Kmiec will teach you the foundations of LEGO Technic building, from simple machines to advanced mechanics, even explaining how to create realistic to-scale models. Sariel, a world-renowned LEGO Technic expert, offers unique insight into mechanical principles like torque, power translation, and gear ratios, all using Technic bricks.